I Live For These Moments
by WertdoAlex
Summary: Will Tony ever explain to Ziva how he really feels? ONE-SHOT (in two parts)
1. Chapter 1

He had decided yet again to stay late at work, just so he could talk to her. Those few moments a day were all he needed, some time to be alone with her. One of these days he knew he would pluck up the courage to tell her how he really felt. To tell her that all he wanted was to be there for her, but as someone who was more than just a work colleague, a friend. He wanted to become something more than that, and he knew the only way to do that was to tell her that he loved her, that he truly loved her.

Sitting in his revolving chair, he propped his feet up on his desk, careful not to knock his now cold coffee onto the floor. Everyone else had scattered, Gibbs had gone for a drink with Ducky, Palmer had departed to be with his wife, McGee had decided that some late night reading was his calling, and no one knew where Abby was, which wasn't at all surprising.

He heard footsteps behind him, and swivelled in his chair. Unsurprisingly, it was Ziva. She laughed when he saw her, and threw her hands up in defeat.

"Ha, Tony, looks like I'll never catch up on you anymore."

He chuckled, something he hadn't done in a while, since every little bit of drama had occurred.

"Ziva, I believe you'll find that it's 'I'll never creep up on you'. Plus, it's a good thing that you can't shock me anymore. Nothing can." She sighed at his last few words, remembering the explosion that happened just a few weeks before.

"I want to move past all that. We all do, and so we have to let what happened go. No one died, or was seriously injured." She pleaded, wishing she could forget everything they had been through. They were not memories she wanted to have, nor planned on keeping. He nodded, answering her silent thoughts, indicating he too would try to forget.

"Just let me ask one question. It's not because of the explosion that you want to forget, is it?" He looked directly into her eyes, with warmth and understanding. She knew he was right.

He still hadn't been given an answer, so he tried again.

"It's because of –"

She shut him up quickly. She could not handle hearing that name again, and she had to appear strong, especially in front of Tony. She gently placed one of her fingers on his lips, and he stopped talking, with the only sound they could hear, the breathing of the other.


	2. Chapter 2

This was the moment he had been waiting for. Slowly, carefully, he delicately held her face, forcing their eyes to meet and connect with one another. She took a step back so she was touching her desk and tentatively placed her free hand on his face, cradling it. It felt as if they were one, even without much contact, but he knew he had to make the next move to get them even closer together than they already were. This was what he had been waiting for, for the past five years of his life, and now was the time.

"I… I…" He whispered, wishing he could say the words he had been longing to say for far too long.

He deliberately brought his mouth closer to hers; giving her time to back away in case she didn't want any of it. This was the only way he could show, could prove how much he really loved and adored her. He had done this in silence for over 8 years, and it was finally time to express his feelings. She made no move to leave, rather tilted her head so that her lips met with his.

Desire exploded in their mouths, and he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her whole body towards his––––

…

He awoke with a start, not able to remember what he had dreamed of just a few seconds before. She saw him wake from across the room where they spent most days; she had just left the elevator which brought her up. As she drew nearer to him, he still didn't notice her. She threw the pen she was holding at him.

"Oi!" He swivelled on his chair to see who the culprit was.

"C'mon Ziva! It's too early in the morning to see if I bruise easy." He smiled, and rubbed his shoulder which had just been hit. She always could make him smile, no matter what situation they were in. She laughed at his expression, and walked up to his desk, leaning forward so that their lips were only inches apart. She smiled, searching his face.

"Just as I thought, Tony. You have some drool on your face."

She giggled, so unlike her, and then moved away from his face, to return to his desk. He smiled wryly, and wiped his face with his sleeve and coughed uncertainly. Gibbs walked in, the same as he did every morning, and greeted them with the arrival of a new case.

"Jane Doe, 37, car crash…"


End file.
